Counter Revolution
by TigressJade
Summary: AU. Roy Mustang is a former military colonel hiding out in the Central Opera House. Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse are the new managers. Ed has a chance encounter with Roy that sets off a chain of events and revelations that could alter the fate of Amestris.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note:_ I don't own FMA. If I did, there would be slash. ;)

Hi there. This storyline is a Fullmetal Alchemist AU that involves several references from Phantom of the Opera. In this universe the manga and Brotherhood Anime characters all exist, but the history is completely alternate. I only used Phantom as a starting point and went on from there. That and I wanted to get Roy into a Phantom of the Opera mask. XD This story is rated **M **for **yaoi** and **boyxboy **references. The main pairing will be RoyxEd with others to be determined.

Please read, enjoy, and tell me what you think. :)

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Edward Elric stood at the railing of one of the quaint little private boxes that overlooked the Central Opera House that he would now be managing alongside his brother Alphonse. The brothers had used their substantial inheritance to fund the repair and revival of the building after purchasing it with the help of a group of local investors. The only box that had been kept primarily unchanged was the one reserved for the 'opera ghost'. Box Five was part of a standing tradition rooted in a four year urban legend involving the box's mysterious owner. The Elric brothers had been advised by Pinako Rockbell, an old family friend and the current dance mistress at the opera house, to leave the box untouched, except for a few obvious repairs and maintenance.

"I'm warning you Ed, leave that box alone," cautioned Pinako "You don't understand it's purpose. So don't go messing with it."

Edward raised a tentative eyebrow at her.

"Listen, it's our opera and I'd like to know why the hell we're allowing some ghost to have a private box for free? What has he ever done for us?"

Pinako shook her head and sighed in exasperation.

"Just listen to me Edward, for once in your life. Don't go looking for trouble. There's a reason for that box, even the previous owners knew that. We had some mighty strange occurrences here until those arrangements were made. Now they're only mild events that mostly go unnoticed in the public eye. But the workers and the cast members, they know. Just leave it alone Edward. You have no idea what the hell you'd be getting yourself into."

"Look Granny, I've said my piece. No phantom is going to tell me what to do in my own opera house." Edward said with a determined look on his face.

Edward Elric was a rather fetching fellow with gold spun hair and pair of very attractive golden eyes. At nineteen the eldest Elric brother was considered quite a catch amongst the young ladies of Central City. They often went out of their way just to make his acquaintance in the hopes of someday forming a more intimate relationship. Edward continuously brushed them off in hopes of retaining his reserved lifestyle, although Pinako thought his sexual inclination lay more toward men than women. Something that was perfectly acceptable in Amestrian society.

Pinako secretly hoped that Alphonse would be able to talk some sense into his brother. The younger Elric brother was much more sensitive to these things. The old woman sighed once more. She had argued her case partly for selfish reasons. She had her own suspicions about the Phantom's origins. If she were to hazard a guess he was probably a soldier who had once held position of power now in hiding from the current Fuhrer. There had been many casualties during the October Revolution four years ago that had allowed Fuhrer Bradley to seize power. Her own son and daughter-in-law had died that night. The Drs. Rockbell had been once been well respected military doctors, until that night when they had received a call from a garrison at the middle of the city and been killed attempting to treat the wounded. Fortunately Pinako's income as dance mistress at the Central Opera House had allowed her to support both her and her granddaughter for the past few years. Winry was slowly becoming a fine dancer in her own right, although the girl's true ambition was to become a true opera singer one day.

Edward continued to make the rounds checking that everything was in order for the night's performance of _The Sacred Star of Milos_. He hmphed noise as he observed Winry and the other dancers going through their routines and nodded to Riza Hawkeye the theatre's golden voiced prodigy as he passed by the small room where she and Rebecca Catalina were rehearsing. Riza and Rebecca were former soldiers turned opera singers. They had reportedly left the military for personal reasons one their enlistment was up and entered the world of theatre and music for a renewed outlook on life. Edward privately suspected that the events of the October Revolution had not ended their favor, severing whatever political allegiances they'd held in the meantime. Rebecca had once confided in him that Riza's grandfather Caz Grumman had been listed as MIA since that night and she had been nearly devastated by the loss.

A sudden gust of air from the rafters made Edward look up and caught sight of a shadowy figure crouched above. It looked as though one of the stage workers had stopped his work to listen to the singers rehearse. The opera manager was about to look away and continue walking when he noticed the glint of something white on the man's face. His body was covered by a long shadowy cloak. Edward quickly realized that it was no stage worker but the illusive phantom that was haunting _his_ and Al's opera house that occupied the rafters above.

He slowly turned away and made his way slowly, hopefully without the phantom's notice, toward the stairs that led up to the rafters. Once he made it up the first set of stairs Ed sped up his pace and quickly took the last few stairs in a matter of seconds to reach the man at the top.

Roy Mustang, formerly Colonel Mustang, was now crouched in the shadows listening to the beautiful voice of his former subordinate Riza Hawkeye practice her performance of the opening song for _Star of Milos_. He had once enjoyed having his own private box at this opera house, shared with his foster-mother Madame Christmas Mustang, a frontrunner in black market trade and the owner of Central's most popular hostess bar. Now he had to live off what he could steal and scare out of the opera house management. At least before it had been resold and put under new management. Now one of the new owners was trying to cut in on his good deal, opera was one of the only things that kept him from going completely insane while in hiding from the current Fuhrer and his prized assassin Envy. Speaking of the boy, it seemed he had company. Riza's voice had been so distracting that he'd almost forgotten to check for spies.

"Got ya!" was all he heard before a tall man with golden hair tackled Roy to the ground and he found himself staring up into the countenance of very smug teenager. The boy's hands were wrists pinning them to the ground above his head, while the teen's legs weighed down on his chest keeping him immobile.

"Now Mr. Phantom, would you mind telling me what the hell you're doing in my opera house?"

Roy eyed the man wearily. He was quite attractive with golden eyes that shone like melted gold and hair of a similar color that hung languidly behind his head in a high ponytail. Roy thought that being straddled by a beauty like this and held down would have had so much potential had said blonde not been so intent on his probable demise.

"Well now that I've been caught there doesn't seem to be much point in telling you, now does there?" Roy inquired as he stared neutrally up at his captor. "If you're going to kill me then I suggest you do it quickly before I get a second wind."

"hah. You're not going anywhere." The blonde said a smug little smile "I learned to fight from the scariest martial artist in Central City my father could find. There's no way in hell you could beat me after living through the kind of pain she dished out."

"You'd be surprised" the Phantom replied. "I've been through far worse than you could ever imagine. The last four years have seen to that."

Roy twisted his body slightly, knocking away the blonde's hands and rolling further down the rafters out of his reach. The dark haired man made as if to stand but quickly found that his footing was less than even as his body fell backward toward the stage below.

Edward stood and dove to catch the Phantom, wrapping his left hand around the man's waist, anchoring himself on one of the rafters with his right. Ed tumbled into a sitting position while the Phantom lay panting at his feet.

The Xianese man looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

"Why didn't you let me fall?" the Phantom asked finally "That is to say, you could have rid yourself of me very easily with no one to gainsay you."

"What the fuck? That'd be murder and I don't feel like having the authorities questioning why there's a body on my stage." Edward answered infuriated "What's your problem anyway. Did you think I was going to kill you or something? Throw your ass out of my opera yeah, but I wasn't actually going to hurt you. That's not how we do things here."

"My experiences for the last four years have yet to allow me any piece of mind, I'm afraid I am seldom able to see the good in people anymore" the Phantom admitted gravely. "If you knew who I was, you'd kill me rather than risk a military trial for letting me run free."

"Who said anything about letting you run free?" Edward said huffily "I want to know what the hell you're doing here, _then_ I might let you leave as long as you stop freeloading off of us. Me and Al have a business to run here."

The Xianese man moved into a sitting position and made to stare at the ground in front of him.

"To me that means almost certain death if I were seen out on the streets, I might as well turn myself in to the Fuhrer to be executed." The Phantom said blearily. "I only hid in this opera house because it was as far as I got the night of the revolution before Bradley's men started sweeping the streets."

Edward eyed the man thoughtfully and put to the back of his neck.

"One of Bradley's former political rivals eh? I should have known the phantom of our opera couldn't possibly be a normal human being. So, who the hell are you?"

The Phantom made a waving gesture with his hand and said "Roy Mustang, formerly Colonel, I served under General Grumman before our company was overrun during the October Revolution. I was seriously injured and received treatment from a friend before hiding in the last place anyone would look for me."

"Edward Elric, Opera House management. Wait...Mustang...aren't you a former war hero or something?" Edward mused "My father used to be involved with the military and its alchemists before they were almost wiped out and he fled to Xing. I think he mentioned you before. You have a scar under your right eye. Didn't you save the Xingian Emperor's life during the 3rd Drachman War?"

The Phantom sighed deeply and removed the white mask covering the other half of his face to reveal a thin horizontal gash below his right eye. The eye itself was also colorless.

"That looks like it hurt" Edward commented. "You can't see out of that eye can you?"

"This is one of the reasons why I prefer to wear the mask, other than anonymity, it hides my weakness" Roy stated in a dark tone.

Edward nodded.

"We'll have to get you a patch for that" he said firmly "and the scar isn't that ugly by the way. I doubt anyone would notice that much except for the eye. I'm guessing that's the reason I was able to get the drop on you earlier."

"I was careless" the former Colonel admitted. "Wait _we_?" he questioned as his voice took on a nervous edge.

The blond theatre manager sighed. "Well, I can't kick you out just to have you die. That would be fucking cruel and unusual. I know I'm going to regret this, maybe just maybe we can work something out so that you can at least stay and creep around on the rafters without being any trouble, Colonel. I don't suppose you can sing?"

"I prefer Roy and what did you have in mind?"

"Riza needs a male practice partner for the upcoming show. Barnes is such a fucking prima donna that he refuses to rehearse with any of the female cast offstage. If he didn't have such a god given talent for this, we'd have given him the boot a long time ago."

"So you want me to help your star prepare for the upcoming show, the one that is, if I'm not mistaken, already premiering tonight?" Roy inquired serenely.

"Don't be a smart ass, I meant you could help her and Rebecca and any of the others practice for the other performances" Edward said somewhat frustrated "I'll talk to my brother Al and if he agrees, we'll let you stay here. But you have to work for it, no more freeloading. We'll-we'll find a find things for you to do to keep busy."

Roy nodded. It seemed that this was the best he was going to get out of Edward Elric. Still, at least he was alive and not out on the streets waiting for Envy to find him. Even he if he would have to get Riza and Rebecca to keep quiet about the fact that he was alive. Maybe he could even get a message to his mother through them. The tunnels beneath the opera house only went so far and while he was able to sometimes collect needed supplies like food and drink at a short distance, he had yet to find the tunnel that lead to his mother's bar. The possibility getting lost in the sewers and starving to death there wasn't very appealing and had stemmed any further explorations for the near future.

"As long as my identity is kept a secret from the military and secret police I'll agree to your demands, Mr. Elric" the Phantom stated running a finger through the edge of his long dark cloak.

"Just call me Edward, half the cast does, including Winry and Pinako, you might as well do it too" Ed told him and held out a hand to shake.

Roy grasped the proffered hand and shook it once. There was no turning back now.

"I'll need three regular meals a day" the former soldier pointed out "I've gotten by in the past by stealing, but if we are to have an agreement then I need to be able to survive."

Edward scratched his head as he tried to think of what to do. Getting food into the theatre would be slightly difficult without anyone noticing and the Phantom did need food and drink daily to survive.

"Are you completely trapped here?" the blond wondered aloud.

The dark haired man shook his head, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"There are sewer ducts that connect to the surrounding streets that are large enough for a person to walk through, I've been using them to pilfer food from nearby merchants. However, as per our agreement I must desist in doing so."

Edward nodded.

"I'd prefer that you did. We'll have to get you food and clothing." He said. "I have a suite a couple of blocks from here at 24A on Piers St. Do you think you could reach it underground and find me without being seen?"

Roy considered it, as Piers Street had been among his neighborhood travels and decided that it was doable. He would lift the grate just below the building and climb through where the sewage drained. The idea disgusted him a bit, but the promise of food, clothing, and the possibility of a shower that didn't involve sneaking into someone's unattended flat was certainly appealing.

"I think I can manage" Roy answered.

"Good, then it's settled. I'll talk to Al and we'll think up some excuse for you being here."

"Does your brother live with you?" the Xianese man asked curiously.

"Nah, Al lives a couple of blocks over. He started living on his own with this princess from Xing who came over looking to escape some arranged marriage. Dad snuck her over during his last visit, name's Mei. Al started living with her a little over a year ago before we decided to buy this place with Paninya and Breda's help."

"Breda?" That surname sounded awfully familiar.

"One of our investors, Heymans Breda. Paninya is part of a family that specializes in automail so they make quite a bit of money and they decided to go in with our plan to buy the opera house. Luckily we've managed to keep our business below the Bradley regime's notice, 'specially Envy."

"Believe me, I'm well aware of what that monstrosity is capable of" the Phantom replied "he's the one I've been careful to evade for the past few years."

"They say he can shape shift with alchemy. I used to think it was a load of bullshit, until he showed up at a party for this duke one time. Scared the hell out of everyone by revealing he wasn't the guy's wife halfway through."

"We'll need code words" Roy said thoughtfully "just because you're below Bradley's notice doesn't mean I am. Envy could show up at any time without your notice and imitate a member of your staff."

Ed dipped his head in acknowledgment. Having an unwritten agreement with a wanted man, a soldier even, was going to one of the hardest ordeals he'd ever gone through. There was even the possibility of being caught and executed for it. Ed had little doubt that this Roy Mustang was who he said he was. Riza had told him that many officers who'd held sway with the old Fuhrer had either been killed or disappeared during the October Revolution, and that the Bradley regime still had a bounty out on those they hadn't managed to locate. Anyone who'd lived in a place like the opera house, drafty in the winter, sweltering in the summer, for years on end had to be in that kind of desperate situation. Either that or they were crazy. Though Roy seemed fairly sane to him, the man even had a decent excuse as to why he wore such a funny looking mask. Speaking of which...

"We will be getting you a patch" Ed reiterated "and you don't have to wear that silly mask around me. I don't really care what you look like."

"Make it a black one if you please, I'd look ridiculous in anything except black."

"I'll see what I can do" Edward agreed. "Come by my flat tonight and I'll have something for you."

The Phantom gestured his acquiesce and two quietly parted ways. It would prove to be an interesting night for both of them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note:_ I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters. If I did there would be slash.

Here's chapter 2, with some exposition and explanations. It's awesome to see that I have quite a few readers who've reviewed: **ShinjitsuElricMustang**, **Annoymous**, **Taytay**, **JustPlainAmy**, and **Nikkie23534**. Thanks so much! ^^ Feedback is much appreciated. I hope you'll all continue to read along. ;)

Well, here it is. Enjoy!

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Roy was in an odd mood following his discussion with Edward Elric. The young man meant well, a surprisingly optimistic concept that had invaded the cobwebs strewn with the grim desperation of Mustang's former lifestyle. It seemed as though the former colonel had leapt rather dubiously from the cooking pot into the ominous blaze below. He would have to somehow convince his new acquaintance that a less obvious part should be found for him within the opera houses' inner workings. Though Roy greatly suspected that the offer of being Riza Hawkeye's practice partner had been the result of an impulsive statement to reassure him of his safety within the opera house itself. Edward Elric, despite his youthful appearance, had had the maturity of mind to see the downfalls of Roy's situation and grievous results to be incurred if Roy set foot outside the opera house main entrance. Fuhrer Bradley and allies would easily discover his whereabouts were he to walk around in broad daylight and even the night had its dangers with Envy and Lust on the move. Roy knew through inferred gossip and old newspaper clippings Envy and Lust had contacts throughout Central and the right people would know exactly what to look for. He now feared that his current situation might be worsened if the rest of the opera house were made aware of his presence in any manner. Even Riza, who had once been a trusted friend and colleague, might hold a severe grudge against him for the unknown fate of her grandfather, General Grumman. Eventually he came to the conclusion that Edward Elric needed to be persuaded to give him some type of work that allowed him the same anonymity that being the opera's "phantom" had and set about forming several counter proposals. For as much as he hated to admit it, Roy knew he would rather deal with tedious accounting affidavits and records than to risk being seen by anyone on the outside. He loathed paperwork with an unholy passion, but if it kept him alive, he could deal with it.

To his chagrin Roy wondered why he hadn't killed the blonde during their encounter in the rafters. Surely being caught off guard hadn't stopped him from reducing someone to a bloody mass of flesh before, so why hadn't he killed the only witness to his continued existence immediately, consequences be damned. After all, the opera staff would have blamed it on the Phantom or more probably on one of the staff. Roy would simply have disappeared back into the sewer system for a number of weeks after planting incriminating evidence in one of the designated staff boxes.

Except it went against his ever persistent morals to frame another for his deeds. Some part of him even admitted that facing a firing squad, as he most assuredly would for such a crime, was preferential to eating rats for months on end or...or...watching as Edward's face contorted into a horrified expression of shock and hopelessness as he ended his life.

Roy knew that he couldn't have killed Edward any more than the blonde could have let him fall from the rafters two hours ago. He still had all the integrity of Colonel Roy Mustang, even if that man had lived a life so wholly different from this one. There was a slim chance he'd ever see Maes or his mother ever again, but he couldn't bring himself to disappoint their expectations of him by taking the cowards way out. Roy also got the feeling that Edward had his own set of personal expectations for him. That and the simple, undeniable fact that Edward Elric had taken him in rather than thrown him out or alerted others to his presence and identity, made Roy want to give him a chance to trust him. Because right now his neutral endurance skills were the only thing keeping him alive and being able to see the performances at the opera house were what allowed him to preserve his sanity. Roy craved human contact and intelligent social communication, otherwise he'd crack after a few more years of this and eventually throw himself into Envy's waiting shackles.

Reaching his destination depended upon peering through sewer grates to find street names and counting the number of drainage systems on each side of the street. Roy eventually located his predetermined destination at 24A Piers St. promptly after 4pm and crept up through the grate below the building sloughing through numerous grime as he did so. He crept up the stairs, shadowing the doorframe of each entryway at each landing, and cautious located the apartment marked 'Elric'.

The aforementioned blonde blinked at his sudden appearance and before grabbing and dragging Roy inside.

"I found some clothes that might fit you" Edward stated pointing to the couch in the center of the room "It'd be impossible to get a tailor up here without letting the cat out of the metaphorical bag."

"True, but you could always send them the measurements" Roy mused. "_Not_ that I need anything of the sort. I can make do with those."

"I've been thinking" the blonde said "maybe we should find something else for you to do that doesn't involve people seeing you."

"I actually wanted to speak to you on that very matter" the former phantom cut in "I am familiar with facts and figures. I could possibly be of service with clerical work."

The theatre manager eyed him thoughtfully. He didn't much like the idea of a stranger, particularly a desperate one, getting anywhere near his and Al's accounts. Edward was well aware that even if Roy did steal from him, he'd be hard put to actually spend the money. However, the Elric's hadn't gotten to where they were in society without being quick minded and practical, with a bit of healthy skepticism mixed in. Ed still wasn't sure he completely trusted Mei, even though Al had already vouched for her credibility.

"We can have you clean. After hours. When everyone's gone home for the day" Edward said shrewdly. "The accounts are my own personal business and no one else's."

"Fair enough" Roy answered. "As long as I'm off the streets and away Bradley's spies, I don't much care anymore."

"I'm inclined to believe you. Particularly because no one could be stupid enough to just hide in an old opera house for years without having a good excuse."

"It wasn't my first choice" Mustang agreed "but if I'd retreated to that particular location countless lives would have been sacrificed."

"Your family?" Ed asked cautiously.

"Yes. My foster-mother and adoptive sisters. I didn't want to take them down with me."

Edward frowned slightly and put a hand to his brow.

"If I try to have you shipped off to Xing by the end of the month, would you be welcome there?"

"There's a excellent possibility that I would" Roy replied thoughtfully. "I did save the emperor's life. So I am still regarded as somewhat of a war hero over there."

"Do you know where General Grumman is?" Edward asked questioning him further "He was next in line for the Fuhrership before the revolution, wasn't he?"

The Xianese man nodded.

"He was supposed to be the successor to Fuhrer Hershe" he explained "but things took a turn for the worst while Hershe was still alive."

"Barely" Edward put in. "He died at Central Medical Center just hours after Bradley took over. No coincidence there."

"He was dying anyway" Roy said "even if Envy hadn't finished him, which I admit is very likely. The man didn't have more than a couple of days anyway or so we at headquarters were told."

"You didn't answer me about Grumman. Is he still alive or not?"

"I don't know. It's one of the reasons it could be potentially dangerous for me to be seen by Riza Hawkeye, former colleague though she is. She'd probably try to kill me or interrogate me for information on her grandfather's whereabouts." Roy said grimly. "I used to think I was in love with her too."

"Well that's no surprise. Half of our audience thinks the same thing" Edward said eliciting a chuckle out of his guest.

"The idle dreams of a naive young man" the former colonel whispered almost to himself. "But I wasn't the one she was after."

"Are you sure about that? She might actually want to see you, you know?" the opera house manager insisted. "I doubt she's changed that much and there are probably a bunch of people who might know where Grumman is. You do have the excuse of being stuck hiding out for years in a broken down opera house."

"I deluded myself into thinking I was in love with her as a young man" Roy explained "but that was only because of our shared childhood and experiences during my apprenticeship to her father Berthold Hawkeye. I thought the same of another woman when I turned eighteen. Riza thought it was amusing."

"Wait wait wait. So you actually grew up with Riza Hawkeye and you think she'll try to kill you over Grumman possibly running off of his own volition during an all out revolution?" Edward said in frustration. "You're a complete idiot! She probably thinks you're dead. I've heard her mention countless people over the years who very likely died that god damned night when those fucking pricks took over the country with _them_ at the helm. Honestly, living in the sewers must have addled your brain more than I thought it had."

"Well what was I supposed to think?" Roy asked sulkily. "Things get rather touchy when it comes to a person's only living relative."

"Doesn't matter" the blonde insisted. "You should talk to her eventually. The night before you leave for Xing."

"Fine" Mustang agreed grudgingly. "But if she _does_ try to kill me, please drug her or something until I'm safely out of the country."

"Deal. I have no reason to want you dead. Not after I'd gone through the trouble of contacting my lazy old man all the way in Xing."

"I'm aware that the only Elric in Xing right now is Hohenheim Elric and he's an alchemical genius" Roy stated ambiguously.

"Yeah. Like I said. He's lazy. The Xingian emperor gave him free room and board for saving the Yin and Han clans from an epidemic. Provided he stuck around to teach a new form of medicinal alchemy to the locals."

"A noble cause" Roy defended.

"It all comes naturally to him. He's living the quiet life after leaving me and Al the fortune he inherited from my mother and her paintings." Edward said. "My mother used to be famous for her artwork before she got sick."

"Trisha Elric?" Roy ventured. "I never knew she and Hohenheim were associated with one another, much less married."

"They didn't like telling other people about them. Mom was a very welcoming person, but she and Dad liked their privacy. They didn't want me and Al to grow up thinking we were better than everyone else."

"Apparently it worked" the Xianese man commented "because yours is the first bit of kindness I've received in years."

Edward turned away to hide the light blush that lit up his face in response.

"Well I couldn't just let you keep haunting the opera house" the blonde said gruffly. "You cost the former owners a pretty penny stealing that private box of yours."

"Opera was the only thing that kept me sane during my years in hiding" Roy insisted.

Edward sighed.

"Still. Anyway, I couldn't send you out the door to certain death either."

"For which I'm very grateful. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Just, don't mention it to anyone." Edward said as he willed down another blush.

"Who exactly am I going to tell?" Roy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My father, Mei, possibly Al sometime after you get to Xing." The blonde said making vague gestures toward the side window that was currently hidden from view by several layers of curtains. Edward was taking no chances that someone might look in and see Roy's presence in his apartment.

"If I ever get there" Roy said quietly. "We still have to see what your father says."

"You'd better get some sleep" Edward said after a minute. "I have a spare bedroom down the hall. I made sure to put extra curtains in there. Not that it'll help much if someone really comes looking for you."

"As long as they can't see me, they have no reason to suspect I'm here" the former colonel insisted. "No one ever thought the opera's phantom was more than an aristocrat paying extra to cover up his extramarital affairs. They were sure the notes sent by the phantom were only part of a cover story."

"Lucky for you."

"I've always been extraordinarily lucky."

"Yeah well, let's make sure it doesn't run out before export you."

The next month went on monotonously as Roy began cleaning the opera house on an alternating schedule. There were times when he'd be at the opera house late at night or early morning right before the crack of dawn. Edward made sure he was provided with the proper cleaning implements and set of instructions as to what he wanted done. This helped the Elric's pay fewer staff to do that actual cleaning in the place and their supply of cenz to just the right amount that their investors kept backing them. It was a strategic move on Edward's part both to keep Roy safe and their budget well within range in case they had to cut and run for any reason. Cenz were gold pieces mostly with some silver, and if the Elric's had any need to flee to Xing with Mei and Roy in toe, then any currency they brought with them could be melted down and bartered for supplies once they were there.

Edward received a brief message from Hohenheim two weeks after sending a letter asking him to get the emperor to give Roy asylum. His father replied that Xing currently had no extradition treaties with Amestris and refused any and all direct communication with Fuhrer Bradley upon his assent to power. Apparently the Xianese feared Bradley and his associates weren't human at all, but demons from the desert sent to destroy civilization as they knew it. Hohenheim was carefully vague about what they meant by 'demons', but Edward hazarded a guess that they were non-human creatures that had once been buried out there and let loose for unknown reasons. At least that could be true if his father was to be believed. Edward thought that Hohenheim sometimes put too much stock into old Xianese legends. However, in this case the immergence of Bradley and at the very least Envy, had occurred under some rather mysterious circumstances. His father was also hesitant about crossing the border or sending an extraction team without reviewing further intel. This time he would give his father and the Xianese elders the benefit of the doubt.

When Edward was done reading his letter he turned out the light and walked the few feet down the corridor. At the end of it he found Roy sprawled out on the living room couch. The dark haired man looked completely exhausted. Edward knew better than to try waking him, the Xianese man was out like a light, so he got out one of the spare blankets and draped it over the sleeping man. This happened almost every other night when Roy returned from his cleaning duties at the opera house. The early morning days usually ended with the dark haired man crawling to the guest bedroom around the time Edward was just getting up in the morning. The two of them usually ate lunch, or breakfast to Roy, and dinner together. It saddened Edward to think that his guest would soon be leaving him, now that he'd gotten used to living with someone again. Roy's company was enjoyable even if he did tease Edward about his height once in a while and insisted Edward get him a supply of chopsticks to eat his meat and vegetables with.

"Can't win 'em all" Edward mutter to himself before retreating back into his own room for the night.

Edward didn't receive a reply from his father until three weeks later. Hohenheim cautioned his son to stay put and to keep his guest out of sight. The older alchemist was able to verify who Roy was and that General Grumman was in fact alive through a letter that had taken ages to decode, much to his son's annoyance. Edward knew it might be another month before he even received a call from his father, the considerable time between his replies meant there probably was something happening in Xing. Again. He informed Roy of the situation, while leaving out some of the particulars. There was no sense in voicing his personal speculations about Xing's current political affairs to someone who much more interested in simply surviving another day in this country. Mustang was however, pleased to hear that Grumman was alive, and it seemed to assuage his feelings of guilt slightly.

Roy came home late one rainy night to find Edward sitting in the dark on the living room couch. His barely visible expression was bleak.

"What happened Edward? They couldn't have come here this soon."

"New plan Mustang" Edward said. "Bradley's tightening his belt again. We need to get you taken care of asap."

"Could you perhaps be a little more clear as to the implications of what you are saying?"

"They went after the Armstrongs last night" the blonde continued "the strongest and most secure family in Amestris are all gone. They've disappeared after clashing with Envy's forces over a search warrant. I'm not above they're watch anymore. I can't protect those I love just by keeping the opera house secure. Because it won't be for long. What do you know about forming an 'underground'?"

"This isn't a place you want go Edward. You'd be better off moving your family to Xing and getting far away from this place while you can." Roy warned tiredly. His own sense of faith had taken a beating in the aftermath of the October Revolution. There was no way they could hope to win back this country without outside help and time and manpower they didn't have. Edward didn't have the fortitude to survive what would so clearly be a losing battle.

"They won't stop until they get everyone under their control. What part of 'we have to stop them' don't you understand? Louis Armstrong was a friend, I can't just leave him and his sisters to their deaths with no hope of being avenged."

"You don't understand, it's hopeless!"

"No you don't understand. I can't just stand by and-"

"They aren't human" Mustang breathed out a whisper, his voice hoarse from both yelling and dehydration. "Bradley and his direct subordinates are homunculi. I suspect our lives hold no value to them, only the extraction of our souls."

Edward bit his lip in abject surprise at Roy's statement. The man standing before him had more insight into these matters than he thought. Even if he was telling Edward to run for his life with his tail between his legs. Maybe there had been more to the revolution than human error and political miscalculation. One thing was for certain, Olivier Armstrong wasn't someone to be taken lightly. If she was currently in military custody, it meant that Envy had pulled out all the stops.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note:_ I don't own FMA. If I did, there would be slash. :)

Late update is late. XD

I'm glad you all enjoyed last week's chapter. Things are definitely starting to heat up a bit in Amestris and should start to get interesting very very soon.

Thanks to **JustPlainAmy**, **Azy0020**, **RainbowRobotHobo**, **Ryuuko1**, **ShinjitsuElricMustang**, **Guest,** and **Taytay** for reviewing. I love reading feedback! :)

So, here's chapter 3. Enjoy!

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The two of them stood there in silence after Roy's outburst. Edward was running the situation through in his mind and trying to come up with possible solutions. He couldn't just leave Amestris to fend for itself, not when there were so many people he still cared about living there. It would be selfish of him to simply flee to Xing and leave all of those innocent people and children to a possibly bloody death at the hands of the Fuhrer.

"We need to talk this through calmly" Edward said after a while. "Otherwise we're just going to end up fighting over it."

"And how do you suggest we proceed with this matter?" Roy queried.

"You need to tell me everything you know about what the hell a homunculus is" Edward demanded. "We need to know what we're up against."

"What little knowledge I have won't be of much help at this point" Roy said. The tension obvious in his tone. "They appeared out of the desert about a year before the October Revolution happened. Fuhrer Hershe didn't consider them an immediate threat."

"Wasn't he already a bit off the deep end?" Edward asked. "Don't tell me he actually trusted these homunculus people?"

"His age was catching up with him" the former colonel admitted. "However, they were locked up as per the orders of several high ranking generals. The trouble came when General Guidwell tried to undermine Grumman by having the state alchemists experiment on them."

"Why would they condone-"

"It was done secretly, Edward. I was unaware of it as well." Roy put in. "The experiments had no effect on them. It became apparent after the fact that these creatures had only been biding their time. Guidwell was the first one they killed."

"I still don't understand how they gained power so quickly. Winry's parents were killed trying to help one of the brigades that were overwhelmed by Bradley's forces. Where did the other forces come from?"

"Guildwell was used to leaving the office work to his lieutenants. The homunculi caught him one night when he was alone, so no one took notice of his demise until several weeks later. A fraction of the forces that overtook Central that night were subordinates of two state alchemists Bradley had managed to corrupt during his time in the labs, Kimblee and Shou Tucker. Both majors. The rest of them I suspect were Cretian militants." Roy explained. "We had intelligence of some movement on the border two weeks beforehand."

"How reliable is that information?" Edward inquired thoughtfully. "The part about the Cretian military?"

"Extremely. My previous contact in intelligence was an old friend I'd have trusted with my life. Bradley has had reasonably respectable dealings with Creta over the past few years, where Hershe largely despised the nation's current leader. Talks between the two countries had been discontinued more than a decade ago."

Edward tilted his head slightly as he stared at his companion.

"We'll have to work with that" he said resignedly. "Is your contact still alive?"

"I'm unsure" Roy replied. "His name was Maes Hughes, an old friend from my academy days. He had a wife and child waiting for him at home. I can only hope he survived that night. The last time I spoke to him was when he called the office and told me to run. I ordered my subordinates to help secure Central Command, but it was already too late... I didn't run until I had no other choice. I deserted my post."

The blond put a hand on the Xianese man's shoulder sighed.

"You did what you had to" Edward remarked solemnly. "Hawkeye told me and Al once that no had a chance to regroup. That it was just pure madness the night Bradley took over. If he had help from another nation that might explain why everything seemed so god damned hopeless. I doubt Grumman was any more prepared for it than you were."

"He did made it out of the country" Roy said. "I'd find that suspicious if I didn't have a pretty good idea of who helped him. He left after the Revolution took place with possible injuries."

"Your friend from intelligence?"

"No, my mother. Madame Christmas Mustang. She was an old friend of General Grumman from way back." The Xianese man explained. "She always had a bit of a soft spot for him, despite his at times perverse nature."

"You were under his command" Edward said thoughtfully. "She might've wanted to question him about you."

"It's possible" Roy admitted. "Though I doubt he was able to tell her anything of note."

"What about that doctor friend you stopped off to see before hiding out? The one who treated your eye. He might've gotten word to her." Edward wondered. "If she could get someone as high profile as Grumman out of the country, she has to have contacts everywhere. I bet she knows you're still alive. Or least that you could be."

"I can't contact her Edward, not like this. It would put her on Envy's radar, if she hasn't already captured his notice."

"The Fuhrer just took out the Armstrongs, I don't think it matters anymore. These homunculus, whatever the hell they are, have something else they're up to. What was that about souls earlier?"

"They want to use them to perform forbidden alchemy. An entire country's worth." Roy said. "I heard it mentioned that night. Tucker never could keep his mouth shut. He's the weakest link in the chain, if they haven't already done him in. He's the perfect tool for someone like Envy."

"It'll be another month before my father writes again" Edward commented. "I doubt it will take that long for Bradley or Envy to think about searching the Opera House. They're getting more paranoid by the day."

"What makes you say that?" Roy asked doubtfully. "You spend most of your time between home, your brother's apartment, and the opera. How could you possibly know what the Fuhrer is thinking?"

"Because they've been posting harsher warnings lately. It's been all over the streets and most of the radio shows. Bradley's trying to root out former Hershe loyalists and dissenters. I don't know why, but he's particularly interested in alchemists. Your name came up at least once, even though they think you're dead." The blonde explained. "I've seen you reading my alchemy texts before. Your lack of confusion was pretty obvious."

The dark haired man sighed and put his hands in surrender.

"Okay, you caught me. I am slightly familiar with the realm of alchemy."

Edward raised an eyebrow. Then he walked over to the bookshelf that sat against the wall and pulled out a particular grey tome. His fingers flipped through it until he found what he was looking for.

"Roy Mustang is one of the only practitioners of Flame Alchemy. First categorized as such by the late Berthold Hawkeye, a distinguished alchemist in his field, best known for redefining elemental alchemy and creating the Salamander array after years of research. His partner in this endeavor was the previously mentioned up and coming alchemist, Roy-"

The blond then found the book snatched from his hands by an apprehensive Roy Mustang.

"You need not proceed any further. It's painfully obvious that you did your research." The Xianese man stated, closing the book. He glanced at the title, making a note to burn the book's author if he ever caught up with the man.

"Depends. If I ask about Riza's relationship with that man, will I get an answer?"

"He was her father and my former mentor and research partner." Roy stated. "I have the ability to perform flame alchemy, it was useful during my years of hiding in the underground. Otherwise I might have frozen to death during the winter."

"Wouldn't the smoke have seriously damaged your lungs if not outright killed you?" Edward asked curiously.

"Part of the array mentioned in that book minimizes the smoke output, causing the flames to feed off my alchemy instead. I only activated it near water and only for a few hours at a time. Just enough to keep my body temperature from dropping too low." Roy replied. "It was also useful for cooking what I purloined from nearby residences."

"You don't think we can win this, do you?"

The former colonel looked up at Edward with worn expression. He'd seen his fair share of conflicts over the years, but nothing could compare to the hopeless he felt the night of the revolution. It hadn't been caused by political discontent, but the subtle manipulation of seven inhuman monsters, two state alchemists, and their likely Cretian allies. If the Amestrian military was so easily undermined by these beings and a foreign power, what hope did a few discontents have of salvaging this country. At this point it would more practical to plan for their inevitable retreat rather than a counter revolution that could result in their deaths.

Roy took a good look at Edward's determined expression and knew without a doubt that the blond would refuse to abandon ship willingly. So against his better judgment and because he felt he owed the blond a debt for not casting him out or leaving him to wallow in his misery beneath the Opera House, Roy resigned himself to working toward Edward's cause. Though he resolved that if the situation took a turn for the worst, he was going to grab the blonde, his brother, and that Xianese girl and hightailing it across the border.

"You'll need to contact the Ishvalans. They were once a separate nation, but Bradley decided to annex them a couple of years ago. I doubt they took kindly to his undermining their tribal authorities." Roy said finally. "Ishval is the safest place to use for a base of operations right now. Though I suspect it won't stay that way if Bradley's going forward with his plans soon."

"You'll help me then?" Edward said, surprise evident in his voice. "I thought you said it was a hopeless situation?"

"My opinion on the matter hasn't changed" Roy confirmed. "But I've come to realize that you aren't going to let it go. I'm going to stick around to make sure you don't get yourself and your brother killed in the process."

"Thanks, I owe you one." Edward replied gratefully. He gave Roy a small smile in gratitude.

"I'm merely repaying the favor you've already bestowed on me by allowing me sanctuary" Roy said. "I would be remiss if I didn't at least compensate you for that."

"So do you actually know any Ishvalans?" The blonde questioned.

"Quite a few. I used to be well acquainted with a noted alchemist in residence named Herrkha Nadeavu. If he's still alive, he might be willing to help us in our endeavor."

"Fine. That'll have to do for now. I know a Major Miles, one of General Armstrongs subordinates who happens to be Ishvalan, but I have no idea if he was arrested as well." Edward said gritting his teeth with the hope of calming his nerves. "We also need to inform your mother about what's going on. I need might her to get Winry and Pinako out of the country if things get bad."

Roy nodded.

"Doubtless she'll accompany them along with my foster sisters if that turns out to be that case. I believe she'd quite be willing to do so." The former colonel said. " Riza should go as well."

"Would she go willingly?" Ed said scratching his head. "It'll be hard enough with Winry and Granny."

"That's debatable" Roy muttered. "Riza's a smart women and a damn good shot. She'd rather stay and fight at all costs. Though she might be tempted to vacate Central if she knew her grandfather was waiting for her in Xing. We could use an ally like her...if she doesn't shoot me first."

"I think she'd rather take aim at Bradley" Edward observed. "She has an obvious contempt for him despite her calm demeanor. When she actually gets drunk, which almost never happens unless it's a cast party for the end of a showing, she has some decidedly colorful insults for him."

"An occurrence I'm sure you've taken care to cover up" Roy remarked.

"We had no other choice. Usually Rebecca waits it out with her in her apartment. Winry and Pinako won't say anything, neither will Mei, but we can't risk of the rest of the cast finding out. It'd get back to Envy eventually." Edward agreed. "So how exactly am I going to find your mother? And shouldn't we find out about your friend in intelligence, he might come in handy."

"He might, if he's still alive" Roy noted "I should probably try to relocate his wife and child, if he did meet his demise. Gracia and Elysia will be caught up in the bloodshed when this all comes to pass."

Edward sent him a look.

"We will have to kill people Ed, there's no way around it" Roy stated firmly. "In this business it's kill or be killed. You want to be a freedom fighter, then start acting like one."

"I _know_ that" the blonde said making a disgruntled noise. "I just don't want to kill indiscriminately. We need to have a plan. If there's a reason why we need to take someone out, then at least I can live with what it'll do to me afterward."

"Fair enough. You're not as naive as I thought you were." Roy commented.

"Yeah well, you're not nearly as self-righteous as I thought you were when we first met" Edward said with a slight grin. "You're still a pompous jackass though."

"And you're a prickish imp."

"Who're you calling short!"

"I never said that" Roy defended.

"Then what exactly did you mean by _that_?" the blonde asked, infuriated.

"Merely that you're stunted, in more ways than one." Roy said with a slight mocking grin.

The blonde charged as Roy scurried, laughing, into the kitchen to avoid his fury. Edward picked up one of the wooden spoons hanging near his head and tossed Roy the fork before advancing further.

"Defend yourself, Flame Alchemist" he said thrusting the spoon in the Xianese man's face. Roy flinched visibly, thankful that at least the blonde hadn't gone for his blind side. "You dared to call me _short_! Prepare to be decimated."

The dark haired man managed to parry the blow, but only just. Roy sighed and made a note never to piss of the blond while he himself was drowsy from work. Apparently being called short invoked a rather cute, but volatile reaction from Edward. This was going to be a long night.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note:_ I don't own FMA, if I did Havoc would finally have a steady girlfriend. Danny Brosh might still be out of luck though.

I know I'm a bit behind in my updating. ^^' I do have some interesting plans for this fic. Hopefully the holidays will give me more time to write and update more frequently. ;)

That being said, I would like to thank **Ryuuko1**, **RainbowRobotHobo**, **Taytay**, **UP2L8**, **WithoutWingsX**, and **Shizaki Kuro** for their reviews. I love getting feedback, it allows me to see what I'm doing right and that people enjoy reading it. It also lets me know my characterization isn't completely off despite this being an AU. :)

So here's Chapter 4! Enjoy!

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Edward Elric trudged casually into a hostess bar in downtown Central, wearing a rundown brown jacket and his thickest boots. The need for steel-toed boots was a practical matter that lay not with the ladies of this lovely establishment, but their rougher clientele. Edward was well aware that while his looks weren't enough to get him in commercial print or anywhere near the opera stage, a young blonde man with exotic eyes was a open target to the more desperate ilk of the city's underworld. He suspected the only reason Fuhrer Bradley allowed the bar to stay open was its seeming neutrality in the presence of both politics and the black market. Outwardly, the establishment gave the impression that its inhabitants cared more for their own monetary appeal than the importance of wide world. Edward suspected Roy's mother had carefully crafted that image for her own survival, and quite possibly hoped to lure her son back with offer of an inviting place to hide. Ironically, Roy might have been able to hide out here for a time while living as a coveted companion for Central's glitzier faction. The man certainly had the appeal of an exotic escort certain to set any high roller on a stirring thrill ride both in and out of the bedroom, not that Edward had noticed. In fact, at that moment he made a merited effort to put the man completely out of his mind and continue with the task at hand. He had two more stops to make today and it took a great deal of effort to keep himself from being noticed by anyone of note. They didn't need any more information retroactively reaching Envy's ears than necessary.

The moment Edward walked through the door to Madame Christmas's bar, heads had turned his way. Both the residents and the clientele peered at him with definitive interest and a sharp eyed girl named Vanessa had perked up and swept out the door to fetch the owner herself. Edward could only guess that she'd been asked to report on any and all suspicious behavior at their end. Either the Madame was still keenly awaiting news of her nephew after years of smoke and mirrors or she was aware Bradley's political agenda was nearing its veritable end and waiting for the bottom to fall out.

A broad shouldered woman with dark hair tufted into the style of showgirl's coiffure entered the room, followed by Vanessa, whose name Edward heard uttered again in muffled tones. The older woman waved a hand toward her guest and offered him a proffered stool by the counter. Edward stepped forward and took it warily.

The woman set a shot of whiskey before him, at which he held up a hand and shook his head.

"I was told to drink nothing" Edward answered staring up at her. The words had fallen from his lips on a whim, as they were the last piece of advice Roy had voiced before he'd left the apartment. Now they seemed more like a password or covert message that had traveled through him to its intended source.

"Well well, I never thought I'd see the day" the dark haired woman answered with an ironic smile. "You must really be something, kid. Come out back with me and we'll see if we can do something about your "rat" problem."

"Just one" Edward whispered under his breath. Something the woman, whom he could only assume was the Madame, caught and snorted in reply.

Vanessa smiled lightly at Edward as he passed. Evidently the answer to his question had been a little bit of both, these people meant business and they had definitely been waiting for news of Roy, something the blonde thought the idiot colonel clearly hadn't taken into account.

The back room of Madame Christmas' bar was set off from the residences and spare rooms that littered the place. It held several chairs that had been placed in a semi-circle opposite a lone armchair that sat against the east-hand wall. Edward sat in a small chair at the center of the semi-circle, while Madame took up her position in the old armchair.

"You can call me Madame, everyone does. Even Roy-boy" the woman said. "Now Mr. Elric, why don't you tell me what that boy's gotten himself into now?"

"It's Edward" the blond said waving off any formalities. "Your son's been haunting the Central Opera house for the past few years. I found him a few months ago by accident and decided to put him up rather than kick him out, once I found out the details."

"And your compensation?" Madame asked wonderingly with a raised eyebrow. "Don't take offense, kid. I'm trying to guess your part in all of this."

"There is no compensation for not killing a man whose seen better days" Edward answered honestly. "If Roy sets foot outside the building through any normal method, he's a dead man. Envy's out to get everyone from the old regime, who might have an inkling about what's going on."

"That was a better answer than I'd been expecting, maybe he didn't con you after all" Madame Christmas said thoughtfully. "I'd been waiting for him to find his way back here. I could've shipped him off to Xing with the goods."

"I can try to get him here" Edward assented "but it would require an ulterior method of transportation. He's been using the sewers to survive for years. Now he uses it to reach my apartment at night." At the Madame's pointed look, Edward continued. "I gave him a room to sleep in, his own mind you. The idiot didn't even realize his health was starting to fail before I actually got some food into him."

At this the Madame looked slightly relieved.

"Thank you for keeping him alive at least." She said with a hint of gratitude. "That boy's all I've got left nowadays. You might want to know that I've come across some disturbing information about this country through another source. I want you to tell him in hopes that he'll get out while he still can."

Edward nodded, well aware that Roy's escape from Amestris could cost their cause dearly. However, he found he couldn't deny the man's mother. Circumstances were dire enough that it might take more than an underground operation to root out those who threatened this country.

"Tell him "the man with the glasses connected the dots on the map". I trust you'll realize what this means, Edward. I don't dare speak aloud in case there's a crack in these walls" Madame Christmas said looking pointedly to the side of the room. Edward flinched slightly. "No these walls are secure against any regular interference. It's the unnatural I'm wary of, kid."

"We need to get a message to Ishval" Edward stated plainly. "If Roy leaves, I'm staying. I can't let this country fall to ruin without at least trying to save it."

"I might be able to pass it on" Madame answered giving him a nod.

Edward gave her Herrkha Nadeavu's name and all the pertinent information. It was a gambit he was willing to take if it meant furthering his goal and proffering much needed political change. Then, after their business was concluded, the blond found himself lead back out to the bustling entryway once more.

"Keep your eyes on Creta." he warned the Madame in a low whisper before taking his leave and stepping out of the bar.

Edward ambled down the street at a careful pace. He couldn't shake the feeling that amidst the crowded street someone had singled him out. One of Central's middling business class entering a bar of noted companionable quality shouldn't have caught anyone's attention, because it happened quite frequently, even if Edward wasn't among their number. After the third block it became evident that Edward did indeed have a watcher as the glare of something metal mixed with a twinge of glass kept prickling in the corner of his mind's eye whenever he surveyed the crowd or attempted to glance behind him peripherally.

The summative solution of doubling back on his pursuer came to mind and Edward made quick work of slipping through an alleyway with an obvious fire escape. Then he climbed it partway and proceeded to use a makeshift array to crack the lock on a third floor window. He closed the hatch quietly and peered out at the alleyway for a moment, before surveying his surroundings. Fortunately the apartment appeared empty after a careful inspection. Edward returned to the window to watch for his observer, only to discover that a man dressed a dark coat, purple shirt, and comfortable shoes seemed to be making his way up the fire escape. The man had an interestingly narrow pair of glasses perched on the bridge of his nose that shone with an odd gleam in the light of the dimming sun.

Then a thought struck him like wildfire. _This_ was the man Madame Christmas had been talking about. It was obvious to the eye that he wasn't wearing a gun and no unsightly bulges showed at his jacket shifted while he climbed. Edward wasn't off his guard by any means, but he decided to settle his first instinct to catch the man in a more harmful array against the building wall. There was a chance that this man could be the friend Roy had mentioned and a useful attribute to their cause. Alternatively, Roy's friend could have easily been corrupted by Envy or replaced with an apparent look alike. Edward knew he didn't have enough information to verify who this man was without counteractively following him home. There was a possibility that Madame Christmas had contacted this man or selectively betrayed her own son, but Edward doubted Roy would have sent him to her if the prospect existed. He would have to give the woman the benefit of the doubt and take a more direct route to verify this man's identity.

Edward took a deep breath and peered outside to make sure the man was still making his way the top of the building. Then he closed the curtain, bolted the door, and turned the dial on the telephone perched in the middle of the living room. He let phone ring nine times before hanging up and allowing it another two rings before cutting it off. It was the signal he'd agree to with Roy the week before in case they needed to evacuate quickly and Roy needed to make for the sewer in haste. Roy picked up the third time he called and the panic was evident in his voice.

"How much time do we have?" the Colonel wanted to know and Edward knew he was taking stock of the essentials in the apartment.

"Hold off" Edward said calmly. "I managed find her. We don't have to rearrange the apartment yet, my _parents_ aren't due for another few weeks yet. There's a man at the market with narrow-rimmed glasses who might want to come to our party. The woman I talked to says he might be able to help us redecorate for the party."

"Are his eyes green?" Roy wanted to know. "I think I've met the man in passing myself. Ask him if he wants to attend the after-party as well. I've been planning it for quite a while, he should at least remember what I told him. Even if it is a bit clichéd."

Edward's eyes narrowed slightly. The Colonel had mentioned different parts of his past including his experiences with the military. One of the few stories he'd told Edward where his former friend featured was during a incident with Creta. The man had received several postcards from his then-girlfriend and Roy had warned him that men who talk incessantly about their families back home often didn't make the return trip outside of a body bag. The phrase was one of the few things Roy had ever acknowledged as a cliché. It was one of the few morsels of information they could allude to over the phone that Edward could utilize when interrogating this follower he'd picked up.

"Yeah, that's him. I'll let him know" Edward acknowledged quietly.

"Come home soon" Roy said before the two of them ended the call.

Edward set the phone down swiftly and hurried back to the widow. The man had reached the top of the fire escape and inevitably the top of the building. Un-pocketing his revolver Edward waited patiently by the window for the man to climb back down. When his quarry reappeared five minutes later and did as predicted, Edward reached out a hand and half threw, half dragged the man inside the apartment. The man crumbled to the floor only to rise again with a pair of small knives positioned dangerously between his three of his fingers. The blond reveled his gun and aimed it at the man's right lung.

"You've been following me for quite a while. Don't tell me the old lady sent you?" Edward asked with noted irony.

"I do my own work after hours" the man answered, narrowing his eyes behind the thin rims of his glasses. "We appear to be at an impasse."

"I think I'm the one holding the gun, unless you can get off a toss before I pull the trigger, you're the one in trouble here" the blond said raising the gun higher. "I have a question for you."

"You won't like my answer" the man replied, his second finger twitched slightly as he held the knife steady.

"I'm supposed to ask you about men who talk about postcards. What happens to them, usually?" Edward asked smartly.

The dark haired man's eyes widened albeit he kept the rest of his expression under control.

"Who are you?"

"Answer the question and you might just get out of this alive."

"Funny you should say that. You have a interesting way of telling me you already know the answer." The man said smiling slightly. "They die. The man who talks incessantly about his family and friends back home usually bites the dust before the hero gets his glory. At least that's what I've been told. He always did have a thing for the dramatics."

"Good answer" Edward said putting the safety back on his gun. "Don't do anything stupid, I can still take you out."

The man shook his head slightly and lowered his knives.

"I'd be willing to bet you're stronger than me." He commented lightly putting out a hand. "I'm Hughes by the way. Maes Hughes."

"Edward Elric" the blond answered taking the hand, tense and wary of the fact that this man could still throw him down. Hughes only shook his hand and released it.

Edward decided to take the chance and trust him. He'd done just as Roy predicted. The man's eye color was also correct, the once aspect Envy couldn't change about himself very well. It was common knowledge among those who'd witnessed his work. Maes Hughes checked out and Edward could only hope that he was still the viable ally that Roy and Madame Christmas seemed to think he was.

"I saw you go into the bar and I know you've spoken with Roy's mother. You didn't go to all that trouble just to report a body did you?" Hughes wanted to know.

"No. The man's alive and well. He's the one who set the code I used to verify who you were" Edward explained. "It was the glasses that tipped me off, you're lucky. The Madame mentioned them before."

"Can I see him? Is it safe to even-"

Edward dug into his pocket and pulled out a business card, tossing it to Hughes.

"Roy said you had a daughter. I think she's in need of singing lessons, which our third soprano Rebecca Catalina gives to potentials on her off days" he said with a mischievous gleam in his golden eyes. "We can discuss the details at my apartment."

Hughes nodded before turning over the card to find Edward's address scrawled on the back.

"Come tomorrow morning at nine. We have to make this look as legitimate as possible" Edward warned.

"I'll be there."

The blond nodded in return and the two vacated the apartment. Edward drew a quick array with his pocket chalk and discreetly repaired the window lock before climbing down the fire escape. He watched as Maes Hughes disappeared amidst the crowd of people heading home from work, before turning away to continue his walk home.

Roy was there to greet him in the living room, having finished his cleaning earlier that morning before any of the opera staff had arrived. The Xianese man looked slightly disheveled and decidedly wary. Edward stepped closer and found that he also smelled of whiskey. Roy rarely drank anything with a punch to it unless an event set off some type of flashback or his nerves had gotten the better of him and he was trying in vainly to calm them before the perceived inevitable.

"I wasn't sure you would come back" the Colonel stated as he gave Edward a measured look through darkened eyes.

"I found you in the rafters" Edward answered pointedly, validating his identity, and the tension appeared to leave Roy's face "and your friend gave the correct answer. Maes Hughes is coming by tomorrow to test our theory."

"That's probably not our safest option" Roy put in.

"We need more allies and this guy checked out. He did everything you said he would and we're running out of options" Edward said pointedly.

"As long as his family hasn't been compromised, we should be in the clear for now. He was a close ally once. The desire to recover that friendship is incredibly tempting" Roy admitted. "Regardless, we'll have to be prepared to act if this goes south."

"There's a chance it won't, he didn't even flinch when I mentioned his daughter before. He'll be here to discuss her receiving fictitious singing lessons with Rebecca, which should appease your sense of paranoia Your mother also had some useful advice to impart."

"So she believed you?" Roy inquired putting his head back against the couch.

"More or less. Hughes tailed me for a few minutes before I cornered him. Apparently he's been passing information to your mother for a while now" Edward informed him as he trudged across the room and took out an old map of Amestris, before attempting to locate a pencil. Then he set it all down on the table near the couch and took a seat beside Roy. "She gave me some oblique message about connecting the dots on a map. This could be worse than we imagined."

Roy patiently watched Edward trace shapes across points on the map, erasing several when he met with failure. Then the Xianese man's eyes went wide and put a hand down in the middle of the map.

"I think we're going about this all wrong" Roy explained. "What if the cities set near the boundary lines are part of the first circle of alchemy. If that's true then-"

"Then the inside of it could be an array-"

"-the annexation of Ishval and two other territories-" Roy cut off and looked away as Edward finished drawing the points together. "There have been minor engagements everywhere in Amestris at different points in history. What if these creatures have taken advantage of that and added more just to create an array swathed in blood?"

The blond alchemist finished the drawing and the pencil fell from his shaking hand.

"Then we need to think of a counter array and fast" Edward said as Roy placed a hand on his shoulder, which helped to finally calm his shudders. "That array is going to activate and turn clockwise across Amestris. Whatever the Fuhrer plans to do with it can't be good. We need to put in place something with a counter revolution in order to neutralize it before it's too late."

"Perhaps Maes is still trustworthy after all. Although with such volatile information there comes a price. Would it be too much trouble for you to pay him a visit tonight?" Roy said favoring Edward with a sideways glance. "I doubt Envy will take such a breach lying down."

"I didn't think about that. I'll dial-up Alphonse and Riza. We can't take the chance that Bradley might silence him before we get the whole story." Edward replied with a determined light in his eyes.

"Use this array" Roy said sliding a piece of paper toward Edward's hand. "Those creatures don't react to ammunition, you'll have to use alchemy to stall them."

"That explains why it was easy for them to bypass the higher ups" Edward explained giving Roy a pained smile. "It might also having something to do with your mother's offer."

"What did she offer you, Edward?"

"Nothing. She wanted me to tell you about the map in hopes that you'd figure it out and want to leave the country" Edward answered.

"I've wanted to leave ever since that night" Roy commented. "Unfortunately, necessity doesn't preclude security. Any amnesty I received from Xing would be temporary. We have no guarantees that these homunculi will halt their efforts once they've used their array on Amestris."

"We don't know what Creta's getting out of it either" Edward asserted. "I think it might be best if you hid in the sewers for a few hours in case."

"You're referring to a worst case scenario" Roy said with a grimace.

"I'd be surprised if they didn't search the apartment eventually" Edward admitted. "Riza will come back with us tonight, if Envy does make an appearance. Do you really want to see her right now?"

"I don't see how I can avoid it. Our prospects are becoming continuously narrow with the disappearance of the Armstrong's" Roy mused. "She's an honorable woman who won't give us away to the military. Her problem will lie solely with me."

"Your safety is still a priority, Roy" Edward reminded him. "Even if I have sincere doubts that Riza blames you for anything that happened during the October Revolution. Now that we know he's alive, it may stifle any ire she feels toward you."

"We'll have to toss the dice regardless. Stay safe, will you? And bring Maes back alive."


End file.
